Chairman, Railways/Dry-port Standing Committee of Sarhad Chamber Commerce and industry Peshawar, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi has demanded of the government to make all important Pakistan Railways dry port at Azakhel in district Nowshera functional to bolster exports.
He said this would greatly help facilitate Pak-Afghan trade, generate employment opportunities and promote business as well as industrialization in Khyber Pakthunkhwa with its close to CPEC route.
Talking to Media here, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, who is also the President of Frontier Customs Agents Association (FCAA), said that about Rs600 million were spent on Azakhel dry port established on 28 acres land in Nowshera district on main GT Road and its full operationalization would enable KP investors to showcase their products at local and international markets
He said that KP’s was blessed with an abundance of natural resources including gems, marble, honey, carpet and furniture and Pakistan’s economic issues could be addressed if these resources were fully tapped by exploring new markets and granting incentives to its traders.
KP, he said, was exporting items like furniture, mineral, marbles, matches and honey but exporters were facing lots of problems owing to lack of bonded carriers in Peshawar to carry the exported goods to Karachi port for onward destinations. Zaiul Haq Sarhadi, said that Azakhel dry port was located near Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway, Rashaki Special Economic Zone and Bacha Khan International Airport, which could prove a game-changer to increase trade volume among Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asians Republics (CARs).
